SOME minor damage to a concrete pipe put a major hole in Warrnambool’s Oaks Day races, with the meeting abandoned due to fears over jockey safety.
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The 40cm-deep hole at the 1900-metre mark was discovered after a horse’s hoof landed in it during the first event of the seven-race card.
Officials moved the rail out 15 metres, but jockeys were still unsatisfied and the remainder of the meeting was called off.
Warrnambool Racing Club chief executive John Green said he’d not seen a race meeting cancelled under such circumstances in his 35 years in racing.
“There’s a process where the jockeys are able to get together and have a vote and unfortunately they didn’t have confidence in the track,” Mr Green said.
“We made alterations to the running rails and took them 10 metres away from the area and did some surface inspections … but the jockeys weren’t convinced.”
He said jockey safety was a priority and it was their prerogative to call the meeting off if they felt unsafe.
“There’s no argument from us,” Mr Green said.
“Disappointment? Yes. Argument? No. We’re disappointed, sure, as I’m sure the owners, trainers and punters are, but it’s safety first.”
He said the 40cm hole appeared to have been caused by “a very minor” crack in a concrete pipe, which had caused a sinkhole-type effect in the soil above it.
“We’ll (put) a camera up the drains, then we’ll see what’s been found and work out a course of action,” Mr Green said.
“We aim to get the track to a state where we can run trials over the top of the area and regain the confidence of the jockeys. Hopefully it will be ready to race on (by the next meeting on November 21).”
General: Warrnambool races 2 to 7 ABANDONED due to safety concerns with the state of the track.
— RVStewards (@RVStewards) November 7, 2013
Happy to hear the Jock's decided not to run at Warrnambool. If it was a building site, it would have all been shut down. No brainer. @TVNTVN
— TheProfits.com.au (@TheProfitsComAu) November 7, 2013
Jockeys not satisfied with rail moved out at Warrnambool. Very tight pulling up, so the remainder of the meeting is OFF. Just 1 race run.
— Andrew Bensley (@AndrewBensley) November 7, 2013
While racegoers didn’t seem too perturbed, there were murmurings that the trainers and owners were displeased with the jockeys’ decision.
Yangery trainer Jarrod McLean, who had three runners yesterday afternoon, was unimpressed with the decision to abandon the meeting. While recognising the importance of jockey safety, he believed moving the rail out had ensured a safe track.
“I’m disappointed in the jockeys,” he said.
“I know they’ll say I’m not out there but I am — I was out there Tuesday morning and I will be about there galloping (horses) next week.”
McLean said the decision not to race would have a financial impact.
“There is a lot of expense that has gone into this,” he said. “I’ll still have to charge my owners for the day. I’ve paid staff to be here.”
McLean said he felt for the club’s new track curator Daniel Lumsden, who had only been in the job a week, with the issue beyond his control.
A small percentage of the 1791 racegoers left immediately after the remaining six races were abandoned but the crowd didn’t thin noticeably until after fashions on the field.
Fashions on the field winner Laura Kelly said it was a bit of a disappointment the rest of the meeting was cancelled, but punters could still watch the Melbourne races on the big screens and socialise.
Racing Victoria (RV) opened an investigation into the meeting abandonment.
It said the surface gave way when Shin Cracker galloped over the spot shortly after the start of the opening race.
“Consideration was given to completing the seven-race meeting with the rail moved outside the affected section of the track, however the jockeys were not satisfied that all elements of risk could be eliminated,” RV infrastructure and club support manager Jamie McGuinness said.